


Seduction

by Blackghost7



Category: NCIS
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-06
Updated: 2015-01-06
Packaged: 2018-03-06 10:30:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3131267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackghost7/pseuds/Blackghost7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony seduces Gibbs with his persistence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seduction

Gibbs smiled at the antics of the younger members of his team, who were playing some game or other involving a ball, lots of running and lots of laughing. He didn’t know what game they were playing exactly, and made no effort to understand the rules, he and Ducky wisely having opted out of joining and instead observing their team from the safety of the back porch. Ducky was lounging in a chair, drink in hand, and Gibbs was firing up the grill he would use to cook steaks and burgers later. It was a sunny Friday afternoon, and the team had gathered at Gibbs’ place to celebrate the start of their four day weekend with some fun and team bonding in the relaxation of time spent together outside the office.  
   
It had been a few months ago that his team had tried to find some mystical “perfect woman” for him with the aid of Agent Borin, and while he had been amused at that, the thought that his team was concerned that he was lonely had stuck with him. He had no desire to find another woman, but there was no reason for the team to know why. And he wasn’t lonely, like he had told Ziva at the time you’re never lonely when you’ve got kids. And that’s what his team were to him, well, most of his team anyway. He saw them as his children, part of his job was to teach and nurture them, and turn them into fine agents and even better human beings. He was proud of them, each and every one of them. He had decided then that he would let them in a little more, and inviting them all over to his place today was part of that, Gibbs trying to show them that he wasn’t as lonely as they thought he was.  
   
Sharing another smile with Ducky when a loud cheer emanated from the group playing in his back yard, someone apparently having scored a point, though he had no idea who or how, Gibbs fired up the grill.  
   
“It’s nice to watch your children playing, isn’t it, Jethro?” Ducky asked.  
   
“Yeah, Duck. Glad you could all come.”   “Of course, Jethro! It is good for the team to share some time away from the office, and we are all happy to be here.”  
   
When the game wound down, the team joined Gibbs and Ducky on the back porch, getting drinks and relaxing. Ziva and Abby were teasing McGee over something that had happened during the game, Palmer pulled up a chair to start a conversation with Ducky, and Tony came over to Gibbs to offer his help. Together, Tony and Gibbs got the supplies from the kitchen, setting out the food and more drinks, condiments, plates and everything else they would need. As Gibbs tended to the grill, Tony sipped a beer and watched and listened to his team, throwing a teasing comment of his own to McGee every now and then, his eyes twinkling when he saw he made Gibbs laugh.  
   
The afternoon turned to evening as they ate and talked, and at last, when everyone was relaxed and full of food, their evening together came to an end. Thanking Gibbs for hosting and for the food, they said their goodbyes and left to enjoy the rest of their long weekend. As the others were leaving, Tony offered to help clean up, which Gibbs gratefully accepted. They put away the extra furniture and cleaned the grill, then started clearing the table and bringing everything back inside. As he started gathering glasses from the table, Tony saw Gibbs smile widely.  
   
“What’s so funny, Boss?”  
   
“Just thinking back to something Duck said.”  
   
“Ducky actually said something funny?” Tony asked cheekily.  
   
Gibbs grinned at him a moment before he responded.  
   
“He said you were my children, and when you were playing you really were acting like little kids. Made me laugh.”  
   
“Your children, huh? That how you really see us?”  
   
“Sometimes, some of you behave like it.”  
   
Laughing, Tony joked: “So, should I start calling you Dad then, Boss?”  
   
The response was swift and sharp. “No. Not ever have I thought of you as a son, DiNozzo.”  
   
When he noticed the laughter of the younger man had stopped immediately upon his reply, Gibbs shook his head to himself. Damn, that had just slipped out, he hadn’t meant to ever reveal that to Tony. Looking at his agent to gauge his reaction, Gibbs was surprised by the hurt expression on Tony’s face. Trying to understand why his words would cause DiNozzo to look so hurt, Gibbs was stunned when he saw a flicker of resigned disappointment in the younger man’s eyes, then a slight blush creep up his neck.  
   
“Fine, Boss. Guess the others just measure up to the Gibbs’ standard better. I know I screw up sometimes and that I can be annoying. I’ll try to be more like the other little boys and girls. No need to rub it in.”  
   
Then Tony turned his back to Gibbs, grabbed the last of the glasses from the table and went inside to put them away.  
   
Gibbs stared after him, finally realizing how Tony had interpreted his remark. For a moment, Gibbs considered leaving it at that, Tony’s interpretation was after all less embarrassing for Gibbs. But that lasted only a moment. He could never do that to Tony. He knew the younger man’s insecurity well and his less than stellar relationship with Senior. If he let DiNozzo think that Gibbs didn’t see him as a son because he was somehow disappointed in Tony, that would be too close to Senior’s behavior, and damaging to Tony’s self-esteem and to the relationship Gibbs had with the younger man. Cursing himself again, Gibbs followed Tony inside.  
   
Gibbs found Tony in the kitchen, busy stacking dishes next to the sink. He stepped close to the younger man and in a rare gesture, placed a hand on each of Tony’s shoulders. Gibbs seldom touched; head slaps, yes; getting in your personal space, sure; but touch, like this? Almost never. Tony was visibly startled by it. Sighing, Gibbs gave Tony’s shoulders a little squeeze.  
   
“Not what I meant, Tony,” he said softly.  
   
When Tony didn’t respond, Gibbs asked equally softly: “Would you look at me, please?”  
   
Again surprised, Tony remained still for a few seconds before turning around. One of Gibbs’ hands remained on his shoulder as he turned, the other hanging in the air uncomfortably for a moment. When Tony looked up and met Gibbs’ eyes, the other hand came to rest on Tony’s cheek.  
   
“Not what I meant,” Gibbs repeated.  
   
Seeing Tony’s confused look, Gibbs sighed again. It was all or nothing now. Stepping even closer, moving slowly to give Tony the chance to step away if he wanted to, Gibbs leaned in and gently pressed his lips to Tony’s mouth. It was a soft, tentative kiss, and Tony didn’t respond, but didn’t pull away either. Leaning back, Gibbs peered up at him. Now there was even more confusion in Tony’s eyes, and the younger man cleared his throat a couple of times before finally speaking.  
 “Uhm… Boss?”  
   
“That’s why I have never seen you as a son, Tony.”  
   
Then Tony moved. At the first sign of muscles twitching into movement, Gibbs thought for a moment that Tony would punch him, but instead the movement was slow and tentative. Reaching up one hand, Tony brought it to Gibbs’ face and gently stroked the tips of his fingers over Gibbs’ cheek. Looking into the now vulnerable blue eyes, Tony equally slowly leaned into Gibbs and, pausing only a hair’s breadth away from those strong lips, shot a questioning look at Gibbs. Feeling Gibbs’ breath against his lips when the older man sighed in anticipation, Tony closed the distance and kissed his boss.  
   
When, after several soft kisses, Gibbs reached up his hand to stroke his fingers gently through the soft hair on the back of Tony’s head, the younger man shivered in pleasure. And when the accompanying sigh opened Tony’s lips, Gibbs took advantage by slipping his tongue inside and tasting Tony. Tangling his tongue with Tony’s, Gibbs explored the younger man’s mouth and savored his taste, moaning softly in delight. Tony slid his hands around Gibbs’ waist and pulled closer, pressing their bodies together. He felt the strong chest of his boss against his own and, pulling their hips together, felt Gibbs’ hardness against him. Slightly startled but strangely excited, Tony ground against it, feeling his own dick stirring. The kissing lasted long minutes before they finally broke apart, resting their foreheads against each other, almost panting in excitement. Tony took a few deep breaths before he spoke, a little tremor in his voice.  
   
“Gibbs… what are we doing?”  
   
“Probably something stupid.”  
   
“I think I… I’ve never… I’m gonna need to think about this a little.”  
   
Gibbs nodded in understanding and released the younger man.  
   
“You do that, Tony.”  
   
Keenly feeling the loss of Gibbs’ hands on him, Tony looked at the older man for a few more moments, then leaned in for another quick kiss before leaving.  
   
   
Driving home, Tony deliberately focused on the traffic and put thoughts of kissing Gibbs firmly out of his mind. Once home, he took a beer from the fridge and settled on his couch. Sipping his drink slowly, he finally let himself think about what had happened, replaying the kisses in his mind. He had been hurt when he thought Gibbs had told him he wasn’t good enough to be considered a son, then stunned when Gibbs kissed him. Understanding then what Gibbs had meant, he’d been even more astonished. And when he kissed Gibbs back and felt his body’s response to that, he didn’t know what was going on anymore. He’d had to pull back and take a moment, thankful when Gibbs seemed to understand.  
   
Tony had never kissed a man before, and this wasn’t just any man, this was Gibbs. Tony had always been drawn to the man, admiring him and wanting to please him and make him proud, but had never entertained thoughts of a romantic or sexual nature involving Gibbs. But in all honesty, when he understood that Gibbs had never seen him as a son because he had feelings of another kind for Tony, the younger man was relieved, because he had never seen Gibbs as a father either. A mentor, a friend, a partner, but never a father. Maybe because of his strained relationship with Senior, maybe because of something else, but he had never wanted Gibbs to be a father figure to him. It had always been something else, something much more complicated.  
   
Tony spent a good while on his couch, drinking two more beers, before finally going to bed. Not that it made much difference, he couldn’t sleep anyway, and lay there staring up at his ceiling, trying to figure out his feelings. He readily admitted that he loved Gibbs, but what kind of love was it exactly? He was closer to the man than he was to anyone else, certainly trusted him more than anyone. He had always thought that his love was that for a friend, a best friend, someone he thought very highly of, and whose opinion of him mattered greatly. But after what had happened this evening - and thinking back to the kissing and touching was making his lips tingle with the memory and his dick grow hard again - maybe there was something more there?  
   
Feeling his excitement build, Tony tried to picture himself and Gibbs making out together, imagined himself in bed with Gibbs. At the thought of Gibbs lying on top of him, his hard cock sliding against Gibbs’ erection, the older man’s hand buried in his hair, caressing and stroking him, Tony’s dick gave an enthusiastic jump. To experiment, Tony imagined the same scenario with McGee, then Palmer, then a whole cast of male movie stars he would consider handsome, and he started to deflate, the images doing nothing for him. But turning back to picturing himself with Gibbs, Tony’s dick became excited again. Tony groaned into his pillow. Dear God, he was hard for Gibbs, and could totally see himself have sex with the man, letting his boss claim his body in ways he had never imagined wanting to be claimed before. It was nearly sunrise by the time Tony finally fell asleep.  
   
Waking up late and tired from his long and restless night, Tony showered and dressed, then ran a few errands before settling on his couch again late in the afternoon. Thoughts of Gibbs and what had happened, and all that he had thought about last night, had been running through his mind all day long, and he needed to settle himself. Sitting on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees and chin resting on his intertwined fingers, Tony tried to make sense of his thoughts and feelings, but couldn’t. He needed more information. He needed to talk to Gibbs.  
   
   
Gibbs had retreated to his basement after Tony had left that evening, half cursing himself for his stupidity, half relieved that his long kept secret was out there. He worked until deep into the night, his thoughts running in circles, at last crashing on his couch and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep. Waking at his usual early hour despite the late night, Gibbs kept his hands busy with chores all day, letting his mind wander, worrying about what Tony was thinking, how he was going to react to what had happened. He buried himself in the basement again in the late afternoon, and when about an hour later he heard the familiar tread of Tony’s footsteps coming into his house, he sighed deeply. Gibbs had half hoped, half feared that Tony would show up, and now it seemed it was time for the reckoning.  
   
Tony came down the stairs and headed straight for the workbench and the bourbon, emptying a jar of nails and pouring himself a healthy few fingers. Then he turned to Gibbs, standing close to him, sipping quietly at his bourbon and openly studying the older man. The intense scrutiny was making the hairs at the back of Gibbs’ neck raise, and he unconsciously braced himself for the punch he was again fully expecting. Tony surprised him though. The younger man put down his barely touched drink, then leaned in and kissed Gibbs. It started as a gentle brush of lips over lips, but when Gibbs gasped in surprise, Tony slipped his tongue inside and thoroughly devoured the older man’s mouth, putting his hands on Gibbs’ hips and pulling him close. When at last Tony released him, Gibbs just looked at him, trying to read him. Then Tony spoke.  
   
“God, I’ve been wanting to do that again ever since I left last night.”  
   
Gibbs remained silent, this was not at all what he had been expecting. Picking up his drink and taking another sip, Tony continued.  
   
“It was even better than I remembered, and believe me, I’ve been remembering it on a loop since last night. But I have to tell you, Gibbs, I’m confused. I never kissed a man before, and never ever imagined I’d be kissing you. Or you’d be kissing me, for that matter. You’ll have to tell me more about that, but for now, I need to tell you that I’ve been thinking a lot about my feelings, and it’s confusing me. I thought I knew how I felt about you, and then suddenly, BAM, we’re kissing and my whole view shifts. I’ve always known there was something more than just co-workers between us, but I thought it was friendship. And then this happens and suddenly I’m wondering how I never saw that it might be something else. Or how I never saw that you wanted to kiss me. It’s not something you did just to distract me from your comment last night, is it?”  
   
After a short shake of Gibbs’ head, Tony carried on.  
   
“Didn’t think so. You’d never do something like that if there weren’t feelings involved. But that makes me wonder what kind of feelings? And since when? And then I’m wondering what exactly I feel for you, and that’s not something that can be figured out in a couple of hours. That’s always been complicated. But ever since you kissed me, I’ve been seeing these scenarios where we do it again, and where we do more, and I just get excited, can’t think straight anymore. And I tried picturing myself kissing another man, other than you, and it just doesn’t do anything for me. But as soon as I think of you again, there it is, right back to the excitement, which is weird. I mean, I've known you for years and never ever before did I think of you that way. But now, I just can’t seem to stop.”  
   
“Tony…”  
   
“No, I just keep coming right back to the part where I want to kiss you again.”  
   
Putting down his drink, Tony did just that. Outwardly Gibbs seemed to be taking it pretty well, but inside he was reeling. Getting high on Tony’s kisses, Gibbs finally dared reach out and slide his hands over Tony’s sides, pulling him closer and closer, losing himself in the sensations. Tony’s arms held him close, fingers stroking through his hair, and every time Tony bucked his hips a little, Gibbs could feel his hardness against his own. Finally releasing each other’s lips, they stood panting before Tony spoke again.  
   
“So, I need some more time to figure this out. But I don’t want to stop kissing you. I think we should wait with doing more than that until I’m clear on what this is exactly, but I know that I need to kiss you as much as I need to breathe. So I think we should date.”  
   
“Date?” Gibbs repeated almost incredulously.  
   
Looking into his boss’ eyes, Tony smiled his most charming smile.  
   
“Yeah. Wanna go on a date with me, Jethro?”  
   
   
That evening, an amused and somewhat bewildered Gibbs let himself be dragged to the cinema to watch a movie with Tony, then afterwards Tony treated him to a burger. Sometime during the movie, Tony had taken Gibbs’ hand in his and intertwined their fingers, holding on to him like that until the film was over. At the burger place, they talked while they ate, about small stuff. Both feeling a little strange being on a date with each other, they kept it light, not tackling any of the big questions that they both knew were lurking in the background. And back at Gibbs’ place, Tony followed the man inside and kissed him thoroughly up against the door, before taking his leave.  
   
The following morning, Tony showed up carrying breakfast, and Gibbs took Tony with him to the lumber yard to pick up some wood he’d ordered. They went to Gibbs’ diner for lunch, then Tony managed to get Gibbs to come with him to shop for new movies. Ordering pizza that evening, they watched two of Tony’s new purchases together before Tony yawned and stretched, and announced it was time for him to go home, even though it was still relatively early. And in between it all, they shared these searing kisses that left them both breathless every time.  
   
 

Around midnight that night, Tony lay in bed and realized he had a goofy smile on his face. Then he chuckled out loud, alone in his bedroom, and it grew into a full out laugh. He was happy. For the first time in long years, he was truly and deeply happy.  
   
In a little more than a day, his life had changed, and by a simple kiss. Still laughing, he saw himself as Sleeping Beauty, being awakened back into life by a kiss. And he could totally see Gibbs as the handsome prince. Not that that meant that Tony had suddenly turned into a woman, of course, but he had no problem acknowledging that Gibbs was the more dominant of the two of them, had been since the beginning. And even that was strangely exciting to him. He was getting hard again at the thought, and wondered how that was even possible. He felt like he had spent the last 24 hours continuously hard, starting last night when he was recalling the kissing and imagining more with Gibbs, then today the actual kissing and touching had kept him hard all day. He thought for a moment about getting himself off, but decided against it, instead getting up and quickly dressing. He knew what he wanted. He was ready.  
   
Arriving back at Gibbs’ house at close to one, Tony wasn’t surprised to see the light coming from the basement. He had known that after sitting through two movies with Tony, Gibbs would be yearning for his basement and something to do with his hands. Tony smiled to himself at that thought. He would give Gibbs something else to do with his hands now. As Tony was bouncing down the basement stairs in his excitement, he saw Gibbs look up and a pleased expression cross the older man’s face. Reaching Gibbs, Tony wasted no time, grabbing hold of the older man and kissing him deeply, Gibbs reciprocating enthusiastically. After long minutes, Tony finally pulled back and looked Gibbs in the eyes when he spoke.  
   
“I think we’ve dated enough, Jethro.”  
   
Assessing Tony carefully for a moment, Gibbs gave a tiny nod and dragged the younger man upstairs.  
   
   
Once in the bedroom, it was a whirlwind of frantic kissing and groping and undressing, clothes flying left and right, mouths and hands all over each other, exploring, caressing and tasting. When they fell to the bed, they rolled around, first Gibbs on top, then Tony, then back again, enjoying the different sensations each position allowed, wanting to feel it all. Through all the frenzied movements, Gibbs prepared Tony thoroughly until he finally felt he was ready. Rolling them over once again, Tony now under him on his back, automatically wrapping his legs around Gibbs’ hips and pulling the older man down for more desperate kisses, Gibbs lined up and pushed in. Tony gasped, wide eyed and breathless as Gibbs continued pushing until he bottomed out. Then they were still, all frenzy gone to be replaced with this calm, locked together. Staring into each other’s eyes, they held each other’s gaze as Tony gently stroked the backs of his fingers over Gibbs’ stubbled cheek in wonder. It wasn’t until Gibbs leaned down to softly kiss his lover, and Tony’s hips bucked up minutely, that Gibbs started moving.  
   
Gibbs made love to him slowly and gently, careful as if Tony was something precious that should be protected and cherished, finding all the right spots to touch him and slowly driving him insane. Despite their earlier wildness, the build up now was slow and tender, leading them both to an overwhelming climax eventually. Completely exhausted, never before having been so sated and satisfied, Tony could hardly move. When Gibbs rolled them over, Tony barely managed to find the energy to drape his arm over Gibbs’ chest before his eyes fell closed and he drifted into a deep, contented sleep.  
   
Lying there with his lover in his arms, Gibbs’ mind was whirling. He couldn’t believe that he had been allowed to make love to Tony, never in his wildest dreams had he imagined ever getting a chance with the younger man. But he was also worried, because he knew Tony well, and this had all happened very quickly. Barely a day ago, Tony had said that he needed some time to think about this, and now already here they were. He worried that this was just something new to Tony, something exciting that was being offered and he couldn’t turn down. Gibbs hoped that Tony had feelings for him, but couldn’t keep the doubt at bay completely. Deciding that there was nothing he could do about it now, Gibbs allowed himself to fall asleep.  
   
   
Gibbs woke up several hours later to the sensation of Tony’s mouth on his cock. Tony had woken up feeling fantastic and happy, and smiled when he felt Gibbs’ arms around him. He started gently exploring the older man’s body, needing to touch and feel his lover. It wasn’t long before he noticed Gibbs’ cock stirring, and grinned at the opportunity he was being presented with. Never having done this before, he figured he could try pleasing his lover with his mouth without too much performance pressure if he started while the older man was still asleep. Kissing his way down Gibbs’ body, careful not to wake him, Tony made his way to his prize. Studying Gibbs’ cock for a few moments, he decided he liked it. Taking it in hand and carefully stroking it, he liked the feel of it. Bringing his mouth closer and taking in the scent, he reached out his tongue and licked, then took it into his mouth. He liked the taste and feel of it there too. And that was when Gibbs had woken up.  
   
Deeply enjoying what Tony was doing, Gibbs reached out his hand to stroke it through his lover’s hair in encouragement. Tony was a fast learner, and quickly found the most sensitive spots that made Gibbs moan, the best way to move his mouth and tongue to made Gibbs writhe and the perfect amount of pressure and suction that made Gibbs groan. Gibbs tried to get Tony to stop before he came, but the younger man was determined and having too much fun to let his lover stop him, wanting to taste all of him. When Gibbs reached his climax, Tony sucked him down deep and greedily devoured every drop, continuing to suck until Gibbs softened and licking him clean. Then making his way back up his lover’s body, Tony kissed Gibbs deeply, before letting the older man return the favor and drive Tony over the edge with his mouth. Satisfied smile on his face, Tony curled around Gibbs and they drifted off to sleep again.  
   
   
In the morning, Tony woke to find Gibbs had rolled him onto his stomach, and was kissing and caressing his way from Tony’s neck, down his back, over his ass, down one leg and then back up the other, all the way up until he covered Tony with his body and fastened his lips on his lover’s neck again. Melting in pleasure, Tony felt Gibbs’ hardness press against his ass and wiggled to rub against it, causing his own cock, already hardening, to rub against the sheets in delicious friction. Gibbs took care to prepare him before pulling Tony up on his hands and knees and entering him. This time there was nothing slow and gentle about it, hands firmly gripping Tony’s hips and pulling him back into Gibbs’ strokes, hard and fast, deep and powerful. Tony groaned and grunted in pleasure, appreciating this as much as he had loved the gentleness of the night before. When Gibbs was nearing completion, the older man reached for Tony’s weeping erection and pulled him almost roughly in time with his thrusts. As the orgasm slammed through him, Tony’s arms gave out under him and it was only Gibbs’ strong grip on his hips that kept his ass in the air. It only took a few more thrusts for Gibbs to find his release as well. Collapsing together, they panted away their breathlessness and then Tony started laughing in happiness, peppering his lover’s face and neck with kisses.  
   
Later that morning, finally showered and dressed, breakfast consumed, they were lounging on the couch, Tony leaning with his back against Gibbs’ chest, his head on Gibbs’ shoulder, arms around each other and kisses exchanged every now and then, when Gibbs suddenly spoke up after having been lost in thought for a while.  
   
“You sure about this, Tony?”  
   
Surprised, Tony shifted a little so he could look at his lover, getting worried when he saw the frowning expression on Gibbs’ face.  
   
“What do you mean?”  
   
“Moving awfully fast.”  
   
Smiling, Tony replied: “Fast? We’ve known each other for years!”  
   
“Not like this.”  
   
Trying to understand what Gibbs meant exactly, Tony searched his lover’s face for a while.  
   
“What are you worried about, Jethro?”  
   
Looking into the younger man’s eyes, Gibbs warned his lover.  
   
“This is not a game to me, Tony.”  
   
Suddenly understanding, Tony replied.  
   
“But you think it is to me.”  
   
A statement, not a question.  
   
“I would never do that to you, Jethro.”  
   
A little hurt that his lover didn’t know that.  
   
“But I guess I understand. Two days ago I didn’t even know how you felt, and I told you I needed to think about it. But you know I can think fast when it’s needed, Boss. And last night when I was driving home, I felt this thing in my chest, like I was having trouble breathing, and I knew it was because I didn’t want to leave you. And when I was lying in bed at home, my gut told me that I should be with you, so I came back. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I want to be with you. And if it takes the rest of my life, I will prove to you that I really do love you.”  
   
He was staring intently at Gibbs now, willing him to hear the truth of his words.  
   
Brushing his fingers over Tony’s cheek, Gibbs gave a little smile.  
   
“The rest of your life, huh?”  
   
“Oh yeah. You’re insane if you think I’m ever letting you go.”  
   
Seeing Gibbs smile a little wider at that, Tony leaned in and kissed his lover tenderly, pouring all his feelings into the kiss, trying to convey how he felt. Gibbs seemed to understand, but during the remainder of their long weekend together, in between making love and just being together, Tony saw the frown of doubt return to Gibbs’ face every now and then.  
   
Monday evening, the last night of their long weekend, Tony was really starting to worry. After dinner, Gibbs had retreated to the basement, Tony joining him after he had cleared the table. Gibbs was steadily working, staying completely silent, not even a grunt in response to Tony’s comments, which became fewer and fewer as the evening wore on. Tony could feel Gibbs distancing himself, closing off, shutting Tony out, as if in preparation for something difficult to come. And come it did. The time was nearing eleven, and Tony was considering what to do, how to break through this shield that Gibbs was putting up, when the older man spoke without looking up.  
   
“Go home, DiNozzo. Back to work tomorrow.”  
   
Frozen in shock for a moment, Tony stared at his boss. Then he got up and took a few steps in the older man’s direction, but Gibbs markedly turned his back to him. Steps faltering, Tony stood there for a moment longer, then turned and left.  
   
   
Tony hardly slept that night, his spinning thoughts keeping him awake. What had happened? That afternoon Gibbs had held him in his arms as he made passionate love to Tony, moaning Tony’s name in his ear with every stroke, holding him close afterwards. That evening, he was DiNozzo and being sent home by his boss. There was no mistaking that tone or that name; when Gibbs had sent him home, he had been Tony’s boss, not the lover Tony had been held by earlier that day. But why?  
   
Going over it again and again in his head, thinking back to Gibbs’ worry about the truth and depth of Tony’s feelings for him, the only conclusion Tony could draw was that Gibbs was shutting him out before Tony would walk away from him, which was what the older man clearly thought would happen. Getting angry now, Tony got up and paced his living room for a while, sipping a drink. He had thought Gibbs trusted him, but apparently that trust didn’t extend to Tony being honest about his feelings. And it still stung that Gibbs thought that Tony would play him like that, would take his pleasure for a while and then casually take his leave. And damn it, it just hurt to be away from Gibbs! Tony’s eyes had been opened by that first kiss, and he had understood why his feelings for Gibbs had always been so complicated, but apparently Gibbs didn’t believe him. Didn’t believe in him. And maybe that was what hurt the most.  
   
But Gibbs was mistaken if he thought Tony was just going to let this happen. Tony wasn’t going to let this slip through his fingers, this chance with Gibbs, finally finding love. Recalling what he had said to Gibbs, that Tony would prove his love for Gibbs even if it took the rest of his life, Tony smiled. Gibbs was in for a surprise if he thought this was the end of it. The older man was going to find out exactly how stubborn Tony could be.  
   
   
The following day at work, Tony was the consummate professional in his dealings with Gibbs. He gave no hints at what had happened over the weekend, no lingering looks, did not let the hurt and disappointment shine through in his eyes. Gibbs was his usual stoic self, and that made it easier for Tony. When Gibbs sent them home, Tony drove to Gibbs’ house instead of his own apartment, picking up some beers on the way there. Having arrived, he hung up his coat and took off his shoes, tie and suit jacket, rolling up his sleeves as he sipped at a beer, and lit a fire. Turning on the ancient television, he found a good movie and settled in on the couch, making himself at home.  
   
Gibbs arrived about half an hour later, and surprise flashed through his eyes for a second before the older man managed to guard his expression.  
   
“Hey Jethro,” Tony greeted him, not surprised when there was no response.  
   
Gibbs went upstairs to change and came back dressed in sweats and a hoodie, walking straight past Tony and down to the basement. Tony smiled to himself. He waited another couple of minutes, finishing his beer, then went to the kitchen to get two more and headed down to the basement. Setting one of the beers by Gibbs’ hand, Tony settled in his usual spot on the stairs and started talking. He talked about everything and nothing, anything that came to mind, not expecting and not getting any response. After a while, he ordered pizza and when it had arrived, he ate a couple of slices, setting the rest on the workbench near Gibbs. Seeing that the older man had finished his beer, Tony got two more and continued the one sided conversation. The entire evening Tony babbled, hiding his pleasure when Gibbs actually ate a couple of slices of pizza. When it was getting late, Tony got up and went upstairs, taking the empty beer bottles and the remainder of the pizza with him to put away, putting on his shoes and coat. Then he went back downstairs and blew Gibbs a jaunty kiss, before leaving the older man with his parting words.  
   
“Goodnight, Jethro. I love you.”  
   
   
The following day they caught a case, but Gibbs sent them home at a reasonable hour, and Tony drove to Gibbs’ house. Repeating his actions of the previous day, he made himself at home waiting for Gibbs. When the man showed up, Tony greeted him.  
   
“Hey Jethro.”  
   
Moving down to the basement when Gibbs had settled there, Tony started talking again. This time he ordered Chinese. After spending the evening in the same way as the previous one, when Tony left, he blew Gibbs a kiss and took his leave.  
   
“Goodnight, Jethro. I love you.”  
   
Thursday followed in exactly the same way.  
   
When Tony arrived at Gibbs’ house that Friday evening, the front door was locked.

Smiling at the futility of the gesture, after all it had been Gibbs himself who had taught Tony to pick locks years ago, Tony made his way inside. This time he head brought his go-bag and supplies. Quickly changing upstairs and setting his bag back in the hall closet, Tony went to the kitchen and started preparing dinner. When Gibbs came home that evening, he was not even surprised when he found Tony inside. The delightful smells coming from the kitchen warmed his heart, and he thought for a moment that he was being unfair to Tony. But hardening his resolve, he reminded himself of Tony's MO, the way Tony had just suddenly changed his tune when he had realized that Gibbs wanted him. Going upstairs and changing, Gibbs ignored Tony and went to the basement.

After a while though, the delightful scents floating down from the kitchen caused a change of heart. Gibbs made his way back upstairs and, under the guise of getting another beer, walked into the kitchen. Seeing Tony lounging against the counter top, waiting for the timer to announce the meal was ready, Gibbs groaned inwardly. Tony was too enticing, and Gibbs had trouble keeping up his stoic front. But he maintained it, with trouble, until he suddenly heard himself asking Tony something.

"What are you making?"

"Just lasagna. Nothing too strenuous."

"Smells good."

"It'll be ready in ten minutes, Jethro."

Sitting down at the kitchen table, no strength to resist, Gibbs breathed deeply and took in the delicious smell of lasagna mixed with Tony. He felt his heart clench at the thought of what he had done to Tony, realizing that he had treated the younger man unfairly, but unable to stop himself. Gibbs sipped his beer, trying to ignore Tony, but drinking in every movement the younger man made, focusing on his throat when Tony swallowed a sip of his own beer down and imaging Tony swallowing something else. Cursing himself for slipping, Gibbs tried to focus on anything other the that, but kept wandering back to Tony. He was surprised when the timer dinged to signal the dish was ready, and Tony carved large slices for each of them. They ate in silence, but afterwards, Gibbs quietly spoke two words that meant the world to Tony.

"Thank you."

As Tony put the remainder of the lasagna to cool and cleared the dishes, Gibbs went back down to the basement. This time, Gibbs almost impatiently waited for Tony to come down and join him, his efforts to tune out Tony's babbling long since gone, now almost eager to hear the younger man's voice. When Tony finally joined him, sitting in his usual spot, Gibbs listened intently to whatever Tony was saying. Because in between the babbling, there were nuggets of gold. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn't realize it, but while searching for more to talk about, Tony sometimes shared things about his past, his youth. About Senior and about his mom, the way things had been, and while Gibbs was careful not to show it, his heart broke a little more every time Tony shared something about that time of his life. Tony had always tried to play down his strained relationship with Senior, and Gibbs had let him, but hearing these things now, Gibbs knew that if Senior ever showed up again, Gibbs would need to be restrained to keep from decking the man.

Tony told it plainly, not looking for sympathy, not even really realizing what he was saying in his effort to keep up his constant chatter, but Gibbs heard him loud and clear. And he was beginning to understand. Tony had never really known love, not the love of a partner, not the love of a significant other, not even really the love of a parent. When it became late and Gibbs saw Tony slumping down in tiredness, Gibbs threw down his sandpaper and announced, speaking for the first time since dinner, that he was going to bed. Watching and waiting for Tony to take his leave, Gibbs was surprised when Tony nodded and came with him upstairs, then settled on the couch as Gibbs, hurting and sorrowful, made his way further upstairs to the bedroom. Gibbs' only consolation was that, as he was climbing the second set of stairs, he heard Tony mutter something softly.

"Goodnight, Jethro. I love you."

 

Saturday and Sunday passed in similar fashion. Wherever Gibbs went, Tony followed. The lumber yard, the grocery store, the diner. And Tony kept up his talking. Both Saturday and Sunday night, Tony again settled on the couch and whispered as Gibbs went upstairs to the bedroom.

"Goodnight, Jethro. I love you."

 

It took more than three weeks for Gibbs to crack. Every night Tony was in his house when he came home, now more often than not preparing a homemade meal after having discovered how much Gibbs loved them. Every Friday night, Tony had his go-bag ready and spent the entire weekend at Gibbs', sleeping on the couch, and leaving on Monday morning early enough to drive to his apartment and shower and change before coming into the office. And every night, Tony blew him a kiss and simply said the same words.

"Goodnight, Jethro. I love you."

Ziva and McGee mentioned the dark circles under Tony's eyes, but at his almost pained look which he simply couldn't hide anymore, they did not press for answers. Abby and Ducky were equally silenced by Tony's dark looks and unwillingness to talk. Palmer tried twice, before being burned verbally and realizing even Black Lung wouldn't be able to help with this one. 

Gibbs had been listening to Tony all this time, taking in his stories and tales and discovering even more than before which were true and which were not, and found his heart aching for the young man who had so much to offer, but no one to give it to. This beautiful young man, who cared so much and loved so much, but couldn't even recognize what love was because he had never really experienced it. And Gibbs knew he had a lot to make up for.

That Friday afternoon, Gibbs told the team he was going up to MTAC and they should go home as soon as they finished their reports. But Gibbs didn't go up to MTAC, instead he went home and made his preparations. Stopping at his favorite butcher and the grocery store, Gibbs picked up what he needed and prepared for a steak and potato dinner. He lighted a fire, put the potatoes in the oven, prepared the marinade, showered and shaved, dressed carefully and waited for Tony. 

When Tony arrived, he sighed as he entered the familiar surroundings of Gibbs' house. He was losing faith, but this was the most important thing that had ever happened to him, and he wasn't willing to give up for a long time yet. He hadn't been joking when he'd told Gibbs he would spend the rest of his life proving how he felt, and he would keep it up as long as was necessary, but he had hoped Gibbs would show at least some sign of relenting by now. He was so tired, spending his nights at Gibbs', then driving home and sleeping only a short while before having to go to the office and having to be a professional, that he didn't even notice the lights were on.

He performed his nightly ritual, getting comfortable and getting a beer, before the ever even noticed that Gibbs was right there, looking at him intently. Startled for a moment, he just stared. Without a word, Gibbs brought out the steaks, grilling them expertly, then took the potatoes out of the oven, practically feeding Tony. The younger man nearly collapsed against him in his exhaustion of both spirit and body, and Gibbs had no trouble bringing Tony upstairs to his bed.

Laying there, undressed and curled together, Gibbs held him close and said those few simple, but precious words.

"I'm sorry, Tony. Sleep now. I love you."

And Tony finally relaxed against the warm body pressed against his, feeling warm and safe, and finally at home, loved.


End file.
